If You Think You Know How To Love Me
by Brambleshadow of WindClan
Summary: Sequel to "Almost Paradise." "A breathless drive on a downtown street. Motorbike ride through the midday heat. The dust that hung from the desert skies; run, though we run, it still burns our eyes. . . . If you think you know how to love me, if you think you know what I need, if you really, really want me to stay, you've got to lead the way . . ."


**A/N: This is the follow-up to "Almost Paradise." Takes place during early season 4, I think.**

**Song: "If You Think You Know How to Love Me" by Pat Benatar**

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><p><em><strong>If You Think You Know How to Love Me<strong>_

_A breathless drive on a downtown street  
><em>_Motorbike ride in the mid-day heat  
><em>_The dust that hung from the desert skies  
><em>_Run though we run, it still burned our eyes_

Judy Hoffs drove impatiently to her partner, Tom Hanson's, apartment. She was breathless when she finally pulled up. As it turned out, he was waiting for her.

"You ready?" she asked, looking him over. Although it was summer, he was wearing jeans, a white T-shirt, his brown leather jacket, and workboots. This was fitting, considering what they were going to do.

"Yeah," he replied. "Do you want to take the Mustang?"

"Why? We could just steal Penhall's bike."

Tom grinned. "I like that idea."

Twenty minutes later, they were riding on a desert road on Doug's motorcycle. They'd left a note explaining that they'd borrowed it and were going to return it—eventually.

Heat shimmered in waves off the asphalt. Dust was everywhere, lingering after a recent storm. No matter how fast they went, it still burned their eyes. Not that Hoffs minded. She was enjoying being away from the city.

_Oh yes we will walk on the wild, wild side of life  
><em>_And our movements traced by a stranger close by your side  
><em>_And in the shadows of a promise you can take my hand  
><em>_And show me the way to understand_

Before long, the "desert" turned back into green fields dotted with woodland. Hanson pulled over and parked the Harley. Judy dismounted and had to stand still with her legs braced until her calves and quads stopped quivering.

"Let's never do this again anytime soon," she said, her voice sounding hoarse.

"Agreed," Tom said. He took her hand and started walking along a path that meandered through the woods.

_Okay, _Judy thought. _We could walk on the wild side of life with our movements traced by a stranger close by your side, or— _She lost her train of thought as Hanson's thumb started massaging her hand. It wasn't long before his hand released hers and trailed up her arm and over her shoulder. If only he'd show her to understand _why her _out of all the women who practically threw themselves at him . . .

"Judy, you okay?" he asked.

"What—? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she replied. "I was just thinking."

_So if you think you know how to love me  
><em>_And you think you know what I need  
><em>_And if you really, really want me to stay  
><em>_You got to lead the way_

_Yes if you think you know how to love me  
><em>_And you think you can stand by me  
><em>_And if you really, really want me to stay  
><em>_You got to lead the way_

"About what?" His hand rubbed circles on her shoulder, then retraced its path as his fingers grasped her own once more.

"Nothing important," Judy said.

Tom stopped walking and faced her. "Are you sure?" There was worry and concern in his fudge-colored eyes, but something else, too.

Judy started to say, "Yes," but what came out of her mouth was, "Hanson, if you really want me to stay, if you think you know how to love me . . . well, I know you don't exactly have the best track record with women, but—I can't believe I'm saying this, by the way—you've got to lead the way."

He grinned. "Why am I reminded of a Pat Benatar song?"

"I didn't even know you liked her."

"I'm full of surprises. Don't you know that already?"

She laughed. "What d'you say we blow this joint."

"You have somewhere in mind?"

"Oh, yes," she told him as they began walking back along the trail. "And this time, I drive."

_A reckless night in a nameless town  
><em>_And we drove out of sight with a silent sound  
><em>_A beach that wept with deserted waves  
><em>_That's where we slept, knowing we'd be safe_

After an hour of driving (is it "driving" if you're on a motorcycle?) the two Jump Street cops stopped in a small town. Judy parked Doug's Harley on a curb near a diner and she and Tom dismounted. Leaning against a street sign to help steady her legs, she asked, "What do you want to do?"

Hanson grinned impishly. "Well, for starters . . ." He eased forward, making her back up until she was up against the brick wall of the diner that bordered an alley. Before she could speak, his warm mouth was on hers. Judy moaned softly, her lips parting slightly to grant him further access. Her hands wrapped around his neck, while Tom's slipped down her waist and under her shirt.

"Hey!" A voice behind Tom made the two break apart. Hanson whirled around to see an elderly man who was apparently leaving the diner. "Take it somewhere else!" Then he walked away, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "Darn teenagers."

Hoffs couldn't resist sneaking a look at Hanson. He noticed her glance and smirked. "Should I be flattered?"

She laughed and playfully slammed her fist into his shoulder. "I dunno. Should you be? By the way, that was very nice for starters."

His smirk widened. "Well, why not let me kiss you again? We'll see how it goes."

"As tempting as that notion is, I have a better idea," Judy replied.

"Like what?"

"Follow me." She started walking off, then turned and waggled a finger at him, which worked to her advantage. Tom heeled like a dog in search of a bone.

It wasn't long before they were kicked out of a nearby bar due to what the manager called "disruptive behavior." Judy didn't see what was so disruptive about singing a karaoke song and then picking a fight with any guy who tried to hit on her. Their youthful looks probably didn't win them any points with the bartender either, who'd attempted to card them until Hanson flashed his badge and threatened to report the dump to the Alcoholic Beverages Commission.

"Okay, so maybe we were a little reckless," Tom said as they left, "but we deserve a break."

"I agree, but let's go somewhere else. You up for pizza?"

"Always."

"Pepperoni with sausage?"

"Yep."

"Do I know you or do I know you?"

"Well"—he smirked again and gave her elevator eyes—"not everything."

"Cool it, Hanson. I'm not that easy." Hoffs walked faster so she was in front of him, not caring that Tom's eyes were on her rear end.

"I never said you were," he retorted, falling into step beside her.

As it turned out, they only made it through half of the pie before they were disrupted—again. A group of teenagers had come in and taken up residence in a booth. After one of them ordered, they began talking in hushed voices. Of course, this alerted the two cops nearby that something was up, and they began eavesdropping. The teens were talking about a rumble with another group, called the Sharks. It was to take place a half hour from now.

Judy noticed the worried look Tom gave her. She whispered, "No! It's not our jurisdiction."

"But—"

"Hanson . . ." she warned.

"All right." He sighed. "We'll leave it to the locals. That doesn't mean I have to like it."

"You done eating?" Judy abruptly changed the subject.

He glanced down. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Let's go, then." Judy left a five dollar bill for the tip, stood, and started walking. One of the boys in the gang let out a wolf-whistle as she passed. The next moment, Hanson had him up against the wall by his shirt collar. Hoffs whipped around at the noise as Tom growled, "Hey, that's my girl. Understand?"

By now, the rest of the gang were half out of their seats. Judy could feel a fight coming on, so she slipped up behind Hanson and murmured in his ear, "Leave him. He's not worth it."

After a few tense seconds, Tom released his captive. The kid, still hostile, spat, "You better get outta here, boy."

"Thanks for the advice," Tom said, walking out of the pizza parlor with Judy on his six.

Before long they were driving silently out of the small town. Judy kept glancing back to make sure they weren't being followed. She finally stopped the Harley at a lonely-looking stretch of beach that wept with deserted waves. Dismounting, she suggested, "Why don't we sleep here for the night?"

"Sounds good to me," Hanson agreed. They curled up together underneath an alcove of rocks, the sound of waves lapping against the shore lulling them to sleep. After the night they'd had, they deserved it.

_Now you may think you can walk on the wild, wild side with me  
><em>_But there's a lot I can learn and a lot that I've yet to see_

_You know you've got my life lying in your hands  
><em>_It's up to you to make me understand_

_So if you think you know how to love me  
><em>_And you think you know what I need  
><em>_And if you really, really want me to stay  
><em>_You got to lead the way_

_Yes if you think you know how to love me  
><em>_And you think you can stand by me  
><em>_And if you really, really want me to stay  
><em>_You got to lead the way_

Officer Hanson might think he could date Hoffs, learn to have fun and loosen up when he was with her, but there was a lot she had yet to learn and see. To Judy, he knew he had her life lying in his hands. Yet, if Tom wanted to stand by her and if he knew what she needed, really wanted her to stay in a relationship with him, one of them would have to take the lead.

Hopefully, Fuller wouldn't find out. Penhall and Ioki would be okay with it, but the captain was a different story.

They wouldn't worry about that now. All that was left to do was sleep—and dream.

_So if you think you know how to love me  
><em>_And you think you know what I need  
><em>_And if you really, really want me to stay  
><em>_You got to lead the way_

_Yes if you think you know how to love me  
><em>_And you think you can stand by me  
><em>_And if you really, really want me to stay  
><em>_You got to lead the way_

_Yes, if you think you know how to love me  
><em>_And you think you know what I need  
><em>_And if you really, really want me to stay  
><em>_You got to lead the way_

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><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


End file.
